Child Care Alternatives

Hey all, I was asked by this company to share information about some alternatives to traditional childcare. We are simply passing along this information, NOT endorsing this type of child care provider or this company. If you are interested in an Au Pair feel free to join this webinar or contact Karen Hurley for more information.

“Demystifying Au Pair Childcare: A Myth Buster Webinar

Did you know that au pair childcare is much more affordable than day care or a nanny? Join Karen Hurley, National Accounts Manager, Cultural Care Au Pair and discover the benefits of au pair childcare. Find out why 96% of families surveyed say that they have greater work life balance because they have an au pair for childcare. What is an au pair? Au pairs are young adults from other countries who provide live-in childcare and assist with child-related household tasks. What can they do? What is the secret to a successful experience? What are common misconceptions about the program? Join us to find out more.

To register for the webinar click here:

Thursday February 2 from 12 – 1pmEST  https://student.gototraining.com/r/4103826335008232192

Wednesday February 8 from 7 – 8pmEST  https://student.gototraining.com/r/1092853324762352128

Life...Post Holidays

Well now that the holidays are nearly over and the light from planet "back to school" is in clear view, I see why parents get giddy for the school routines to begin again! Even though my oldest is in kindergarten and only been an official "school ager" for a handful of months, it took me a few days to get in the swing of having him home again on an all day schedule.

Over all it was a nice holiday break and I'm grateful to have had some time off and at home with my little ones but routine is my friend. Anyone else out there ready for life to return to quasi-"normal"?

Work Life Balance on Paper and on the Big Screen

I have come across a number of books that address the struggles of women with career and families and a recent upcoming movie. I'm not recommending or referring these just posting them as an fyi if you are in the mood to be entertained by or read up on work and life media pieces!

BOOKS

Arlie Hochchild, Prof. of Sociology, UC Berkeley
The Second Shift-Working Parents and the Revolution at Home
The Managed Heart
The Time Bind

Sharon Lerner
The War on Moms:  On Life in a Family-Unfriendly Nation

MOVIE(S)
I Don't Know How She Does It

Back to School - school lunch ideas?

With 3 kiddos in school full time and each of them picky eaters I thought I'd post some of the lunch items we pack. I hope you might have some additional ideas as the same 5 items get old after a while!! Also breakfast ideas are great too since they are all also in latchkey in the mornings.

For the boys:
Protein: ham & cheese, PB&J or fluffernutter
Fruit/veggie: Small cups of diced peaches or pears, applesauce, carrot sticks
Dairy: crush cups or yogurt, cheese cubes
Filler: cheese crackers, gold fish, granola bar, fruit roll-ups

For my ultra picky daughter:
Protein: fluffernutter, rolled up pieces or salami or ham
Fruit/veggie: cut up green peppers, carrot sticks, cucumber
Dairy: cheese cubes
Filler: granola bar, fruit roll-ups, gold fish


Breakfast:
chocolate chip mini muffins (I make them because they are too expensive to buy)
French toast sticks
yogurt

Any other ideas? My kids are so picky especially at breakfast! And since Dublin pushed their start time back by a 1/2 hour they'll be eating lunch even later so healthy snack idea for picky eaters would be great too!

Happy start of school everyone!

Affordable Summer Vacations

Well it seems like summer came and is now on it's way out with school being only a few weeks away! My family of 5 recently took a short but fun and very affordable vacation up to Lake Erie this past weekend. We stayed at a friends condo in Sandusky and then went to "Soak City" (the waterpark attached to Cedar Point), visited the lighthouse in Marblehead, and just played on the beach and in the lake. Has anyone else had a fun vacation or stay-cation this summer? If so share it with us and give us ideas for next year!

IMPACT Safety--Everyone Can Be Safe: Girls Night-Before You Go Out!

This unique training is specially designed for adult women 18 and older. IMPACT Safety teaches a unique form of self-defense. You will learn IMPACT Safety’s strategies on dealing with difficult situations—whether a stranger who means you harm, a friend, coworker, or acquaintance. You will have the opportunity to learn and practice powerful skills to stop a physical assault.

IMPACT Safety Teaches How To:

• Use physical safety techniques when no other alternatives are available

• Break off potentially threatening situations with verbal strategies

• Be more aware of dangerous situations

• Make better choices in dealing with conflict and confrontation

Date: Friday, July 29, 2011

Time: 6:00PM to – 10:00PM

Location: LifeCare Alliance

1699 West Mound Street

Columbus, Ohio 43223

To Register: www.regonline.com/JUL2911

Cost: $45

Parking is free

Space is limited!

Deadline to Register: July 22, 2011

Call 614-278-3130 for more info

A personal self-defense workshop for women

Stats on Dads

Hey all, I know this is technically a working "moms" blog but thought I would share some interesting statistics about dads. My disclaimer is that this information obviously doesn't apply to all dads but does give us some perspective around the struggles that dads feel when trying to balance family and career!

According to a national poll from Workplace Options, a provider of work-life programs and employee benefits the poll results are as follows:

• More than two-thirds of working fathers (68%) have experienced negativity or problems with their current employer due to conflicts between their job and duties as a caregiver; 57% reported that it has happened multiple times with this employer.
• Nearly half of employed fathers (48%) said they spend less than a quarter of the day (six hours) with their children — a stark contrast to 31% of working mothers who reported the same time constraints due to their job.
• Substantially more fathers reported that they frequently take time off of work to deal with child- and family-related issues than did mothers (56% vs. 40%).

About four out of 10 fathers in the workforce (39%) said the demands of their current job detract from their ability to interact with and support children and family.

According to the Workplace Options survey, 70% of employed fathers considered their current employer to be understanding of their family responsibilities. However, 43% also reported their current employer could provide more tools, programs or assistance to help them balance their roles at work with those at home.

We at Ohio State have more work to do in helping support moms and dads on their quest to strike work life balance but in the meantime, cheers to all parents who try hard to find creative ways to have a career you love while spending time with the people you love!